Screenshot from Senate hearing
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Richard Gordon is seeking the capture of two key officials of firms allegedly linked to the supposed anomalies in the government’s procurement of COVID-19 medical supplies.
Screenshot from Senate hearing
During Tuesday’s hearing, Gordon, who chairs the Senate blue ribbon committee handling the inquiry on the government’s deals with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., bared photos of Gerald Cruz and Jayson Uson.
Gordon said Cruz and Uson have been in “hiding” and are not attending the Senate hearings.
“Si Gerald Cruz at si Jayson Uson… ito’y mga kasamang kumpanya ng Pharmally na nagtatago hanggang ngayon (Gerald Cruz and Jayson Uson are involved in companies linked to Pharmally and are in hiding until now),” Gordon said.
According to Gordon, both Cruz and Uson hold key positions in several firms linked to President Rodrigo Duterte’s former economic adviser Michael Yang, who allegedly funded Pharmally when it entered into contracts with the government.
Gordon said Cruz also holds the lease of Yang’s residence in Forbes Park in Makati.
READ: Yang denies funding Pharmally
“Isa pang hinahanap natin ay si Gerald Cruz… Kasama ito sa mga nawawalang perang nalustay ng bayan para sa COVID na dapat ginamit. Si Gerald Cruz ang siyang humawak ng lease ng bahay ni Michael Yang sa Forbes Park,” Gordon said.
(We are also looking for Gerald Cruz… He was involved in the money supposedly for our COVID response but was wasted instead. Gerald Cruz holds the lease of the home of Michael Yang in Forbes Park.)
Meanwhile, Gordon said Uson is reportedly currently in Japan.
“Balita namin nasa Japan. Hihilingin ko na ma-contact ng embassy natin yan kung mayroon silang makukuhang balita dyan para mahuli ‘yan,” Gordon said.
(He is reportedly in Japan. I call on our embassy to contact him if they can get any news about him so that he can be captured.)
Gordon asked the help of the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Ombudsman, and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to locate Cruz and Uson.
“Nananawagan ago sa mga nanunuod sa publiko kung kilala niyo ito, ipagpaalam ninyo sa blue ribbon committee. Itong dalawang ito kailangang mahuli para mabuo natin ang istorya,” Gordon said.
(We call on the public who may know them to inform the blue ribbon committee. These two need to be captured so we can complete the story.)
“Kung nakikinig ang Secretary of Justice, ang Ombudsman, ang NBI, tulungan nya na ang ating bayan para naman magkaroon tayo ng kaunting katarungan sa mga nilaspag na pera ng mga taong ito,” he added.
(If the Secretary of Justice, the Ombudsman, or the NBI are listening, I hope they can help our country to get justice for all the money wasted by these individuals.)